Argelander was less versed in the deeper theories of astronomy than in practical work. Hence those of his lectures that had a practical bearing were most interesting, and so searching was he that, whenever he found hearers, he aroused their earnest interest. He was fond of personal intercourse with his students, and would often walk with them, conversing on various subjects, questions of the day, etc. He would go into detailed and most entertaining discussions, for which his lectures afforded neither time nor a suitable public, and he could then consider the value of conjectural hypotheses to which he was no friend. The transparency of his character, the goodness of his heart, and his open, manly bearing will never be forgotten by his friends.
His active life was not wanting in distinctions. He wore orders conferred by Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and Baden. Numerous learned societies and academies made him an active, corresponding, or honorary member; those of St. Petersburg in 1826, of Berlin in 1836, of London (not more distinctly named) in 1846, of Stockholm in the same year, of Paris and Vienna in 1851, of Berlin in 1855, of Breslau in 1856, the Royal Astronomical Society of London in 1832, the Societas Fennica at Helsingfors in 1845, and the National Academy of the United States in 1864. He received the Demidoff prize of the St. Petersburg Academy while residing at Helsingfors, and the golden medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1863. The jubilee of his receiving the doctor's degree was made the occasion of a grand celebration in 1872. He was almost from its foundation a member of the official board of the Astronomische Gesellschaft, and presided at the meetings in Bonn and Leipsic.
Many positions were offered to him, but he preferred to remain at Bonn, while he always preserved an affectionate recollection of Finland. He devoted himself faithfully to the interests of the observatory, but was not fond of participating in affairs of administration, and was disinclined to public life. He was a welcome guest at the social gatherings of scientific societies.
the earth, 1,195,450,000, M. H. R. Verneau calculates that forty-two per cent of the number are of the white race, forty-four per cent of the yellow race, eleven per cent are negroes, two per cent of the mixed Oceanic races, and one per cent Indians. By local distribution, the whites occupy twenty-two per cent of the habitable surface of the globe, the yellow races twenty-eight per cent, the negroes eighteen per cent, the Oceanians three per cent, and the American Indians twenty per cent. Hence, as distributed, there are found, on equal areas inhabited by them, one Indian, nineteen negroes, twenty-one Oceanians, fifty of the yellow races, and sixty-one whites. In point of religion, 400,000,000 of the earth's inhabitants are
Christian adherents of various sects.